Five years on … remembering the fires of October 2017
Today, October 13, 2022, is International Day of Disaster Reduction. It is appropriate, therefore, to look back five years to 2017, which will be remembered as one of the darkest
Plunging is cool, but safety is cooler
As we come towards the end of summer, it is important to note that after September the swimming season in Portugal is considered closed. The sea temperatures may be somewhat
Who does what in a major fire? – Part 2
In our first part of this two-part series, I gave an overview of the firefighting structure under the National Operational Directive to Combat Rural Fires, the way the command was
Who does what in a major fire? – Part 1
The purpose of this two-part feature is to outline the work undertaken by various entities (known as civil protection agents) during rural fires. It is quite a complex structure, within
Moving Home – Safety and Security Check List
Portugal is a great place to live, with friendly people, good climate, good food, wine and superb countryside. It is also the sixth most peaceful country in the world (according
Portugal – decreasing serious and violent crime highlighted in 2021 Security Report
The 2021 Internal Security Report (RASI) for Portugal has been published, the main part focusing on the crime situation. In 2021, 301,394 crimes were reported to the security forces, 0.9%
Top tips for water and beach safety
With some great weather recently and more to come, there will be more people heading off to the beaches. Portugal has an abundance of lovely beaches from the north to
Cybersecurity checklist for small and medium businesses
Cyber security has been very much in the news for the last months with several major organisations affected. No matter the size of the business, cybersecurity is an essential focus
Preparing for rural fires during extreme weather conditions
The purpose of this feature is to illustrate the impact that extreme weather has in bringing about the drought situation that exists in Portugal and how this further impacts our
“Preparedness” – the key word for 2022
Over the New Year festive season, there have been a number of events that have influenced the subject for this month’s feature. These were: on New Year’s Eve (NYE), the